Main menu

Tag Archives: Mixtape

Post navigation

I’m as guilty as any other shocking blog/media sites that pulls out the token “OMG Tassie is so far away, amirite?” introduction when it comes to writing about bands from down that way. It’s lazy, unprofessional writing, and I always feel a bit shit when I do it. I guess it’s because I just don’t know the scene or bands well enough to express anything worthwhile in my articles.

However, that’s about to change, because I just got a top notch guide from Heart Beach, one of my favourite bands from last year. Their debut album from last year was brutally underrated – if I had my way, every single person in this godforsaken land would be required to own a copy and spin it at least three times a day. It’s such a magical album, full of blunt, beautiful musings on everyday life paired with splashes of guitar, a fantastic sequel to the likes of Beaches and Love of Diagrams.

Anyway, Heart Beach are coming to Sydney pretty soon to launch their new 7″, and I’m bloody excited. They’re gonna be fantastic, I just know it, especially if this list of top-notch locals they threw together is anything to go by. They’ll be playing The Record Crate in Glebe w/ Low Talk, Miners and Skyboxes. If you need any more details, you can find them here on Facebook, right after you check out this awesome guide to Tasmanian music.

I haven’t really gotten into my private passion of really, really, really heavy shit that much on this website. Mainly because I stick to the old school shit that everyone knows-Sabbath, Metallica, Slayer. All the obvious ones. Most metal nowadays is glossy shit that cops a couple rotations on Triple J’s Short. Fast. Loud before getting replaced with something that sounds exactly the same (cough, Northlane, Dream On, Dreamer, Amity Affliction, cough) So yeah, I usually just stick to whatever Cancer Bats, Pulled Apart By Horses and Cerebral Ballzy are doing.

That’s all changed with the release of this Art As Catharsis mixtape. AAC are a Sydney-based record group that have been pushing out some of the best hardcore and metal bands for ages now. And they’ve got the compilation to prove it. Totally Unicorn, Fat Guy Wears a Mystic Wolf T-Shirt, FVCK Mountain, Tanned Christ…if they’re interesting, solid and pummelling, chances are they’re featured on the Art As Catharsis mixtape.

Today, not one, but TWO brand new mixtapes. If you’re of the ‘Fuck Triple J’ mindset and are in the midst of organising a coup of the Triple J Hottest 100, then get amongst these indie gems.

Hand Games Mix #18 January

The first thing that will strike you about the new, flawless Hand Games mixtape is the cute as fuck cover. Jesus Christ, all other cute things may as well go kill themselves in an orgy of blood. Because there is fucking nothing, repeat fucking nothing, that is goddamn cuter than a pink baby elephant hoarding doughnuts. Seriously, cat videos of the internet, throw in the towel, your reign as ‘Cute Internet Thing’ is over.

But onto the music, the main attraction of this deliciously amazing playlist. Due to this playlist, Blank Realm’s ‘Falling Down the Stairs’ has become my favourite song of the month. And regular bands that appear on Soundly Sounds ScotDrakula, Royal Headache and Snowy Nasdaq are here as well with some truly orgasm-inducing tracks.

As usual, the pop and electronica contingent in Hand Games is very strong, with Elizabeth Rose, Safia, Noah Slee and Hubert Clark Jr. making solid cases as to why the electro-pop format is winning hearts and minds everywhere.

And in terms of the darker, weirder shit that makes my pants bulge there’s The Babe Rainbow (awesome name), Home Travel, Emerse, and the spectacularly strange Romi. Seriously, check out Romi’s shit, it makes a one-eyed-purple people eater look like the squarest piece of shit.

HAND GAMES IS FREE, SO GET ON THAT SHIT!

Peking Tapes-Summer Lovin’ 2013

The next glance through the porthole to majestic perfection comes courtesy of Peking Tapes, and features a shit load of artists you’ve never heard of, but will thoroughly enjoy. The reason you’ll have never heard of these artists is because they’re all more underground than a mole who’s only into Neutral Milk Hotel demo tapes.

The shit on here is wondrous in so many ways, glorifying the alternative scene in Melbourne to dizzying heights. Every song on here always makes me feel jittery inside, and the fact that I’m only hearing about these artists now makes it all the better. With the exception of Snowy Nasdaq’s subtle ‘Fucking’, Wizard Oz’s stellar cover of TV Colours’ ‘Bad Dreams’ and the chameleonic Zombie Psychologist, I had no clue of any of these bands.

So surprise, fucking surprise, when I go through a compilation from one of the best tape labels in Australia, and discover a bunch of my new favourite artists. From the wholesome Clean-jangle of Big Tobacco, to the organ-driven dream pop of Cat Cat, to the disorientating math rock of Pioneers of Good Science and the James-Mercer-on-heroin beauty of Coloured Clocks’ ‘Brick’, there is no point in this entire mixtape where the mind isn’t completely absorbed. This sort of musical genius is usually buried under layers and layers of in-the-know, but thanks to Peking Tapes, it has been uncovered for the likes of you and I to feast our greedy ears upon.

GET ON PEKING TAPES SUMMER LOVING, COS ITS BETTER THAN A HANDJOB FROM TOUCH SENSITIVE AND IT’S FREE!

If you read the title, well that’s more or less everything I have to say about this. Melbourne label I OH YOU, home to Snakadaktal, City Calm Down, DZ Deathrays, Bleeding Knees Club and Violent Soho have just put out a compilation of the best up and coming Australian artists. You can find tunes from Sydney garage bistro-bros Straight Arrows, and the equally exclusive Palms, as well as some soothers by Ta-ku (feat. Chet Faker) and Worlds End Press. Also, just so everyone knows shit’s serious, the comp. includes soon-to-be-world-dominators POND. So yeah, it’s free. Why aren’t you downloading it?

Post navigation

Album of the Week

19 year old self-described dipshit from Sydney, Australia. If you'd like to send me something to review, hit us up at ryansaar1@hotmail.com, I'd be more than glad to review. It helps if it falls in the category of lo-fi, garage, or punk, or if it's from Australia, but I love everything. EVERYTHING!
Soundly Sounds is part of the Vice Blogging Network (Fuck Yeah!) http://www.vice.com/en_au/vbn